G/TBT/W/788  
 
16 February 2024  
(24-1388) Page: 1/3 
Committee on Technical Barriers to Trade  Original: English  
 
THEMATIC SESSION S TO DISCUSS INTERNATIONAL STANDARDS  
FOR CRITICAL AND EMERGING TECHNOLOGIES (CET s) 
TENTH TRIENNIAL REVIEW  
Proposal from the United States  
The following submiss ion, dated 16 February  2024, is being circulated at the request of the  
delegation of the United States . 
 
_______________  
 
 
1  BACKGROUND  
1.1.  International standards continue to be an important subject for the WTO TBT Committee and 
are used in technical regulations and conformity assessment procedures according to the 
WTO TBT Agreement under Article 2.4.1 In addition, Articles 2.6, 5.5 and Paragraph G of Annex  3 
emphasize the importance of Members'  participation in international standardization activities 
related to products for which they have either  adopted, or expect to adopt, technical regulations.  
Members participate directly in international standards and have an opportunity to publish and 
receive comments on national adoptions of those standards under the Code of Good Practice.  The 
Committee continues to dis cuss the principles for the development of international standards, a 
decision that Members have been using and discussing since the Second Triennial Review.  
1.2.  Increasingly, products are subject to technological innovations, and those innovations are 
occurri ng at a rapid pace. From quantum computers and smartphones to electric vehicles , consumers 
rely on technology standards to ensure the technologies that underpin our everyday life are safe, 
universal and interoperable. International s tandards also help mana ge risk, security, safety, privacy, 
and quality in the development of new innovations. In short, international standards are good for 
business, good for consumers, and good for society.  
1.3.  Critical and emerging technologies (CETs) are a subset of technologies  that play a key role in 
economic growth and national security. In an era of rapid technological transformation and global 
scale, standards will continue to define and drive the markets of the future. Because many of these 
technologies are new or on the fo refront of development, the United States proposes that 
WTO Members take the lead to identify aligned objectives on standards for CETs to facilitate trade 
and support the growth of these new or cutting -edge technologies.  
 
1 WTO Committee on Technical Barriers to Trade, "Decisions and Recommendations Adopted by the 
WTO Committee on Technical Barriers to Trade Since 1 January 1995", 15  November 2022 ( G/TBT/1/Rev.15 ). G/TBT/W/788  
 
- 2 - 
 
  2  WHAT ARE CRITICAL AND EMERGING TECHNOLOGIES?  
2.1.  The U nited States has identified a non -exhaustive list of critical and emerging technologies for 
WTO Members ' consideration for thematic discussion at the TBT Committee. The technologies listed 
below represent core technologies that may be essential for competitiveness and national security 
for all WTO Members:  
i. Communication and Networking Technologies, which are enabling dramatic changes in 
how consumers, businesses, and governments interact, and which will form the basis 
of tomorrow 's critical communications networks;  
ii. Semiconductors and Microelectronics, including Computing, Memory, and Storage 
Technologies, which affect every corner of the global economy, society, and 
government, and which power a panoply of innovations and capabili ties; 
iii. Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning, which promise transformative 
technologies and scientific breakthroughs across industries, but which must be 
developed in a trustworthy and risk -managed manner;  
iv. Agricultural Biotechnologies , which provide critical tools to support food security, and 
environmental sustainability;  
v. Biofuel Standards, which will enable more energy efficient and environmentally 
sustainability fuels to reduce greenhouse gas emissions;  
vi. Positioning, Navigation, and Timing Services,  which are a largely invisible utility for 
technology and infrastructure, including the electrical power grid, communications 
infrastructure and mobile devices, all modes of transportation, precision agriculture, 
weather forecasting, and emergency response ; 
vii. Digital Identity Infrastructure and Distributed Ledger Technologies, which increasingly 
affect a range of key economic sectors;  
viii. Clean Energy Generation and Storage, which are critical to the generation, storage, 
distribution, and climate -friendly and eff icient utilization of energy, and to the security 
of the technologies that support energy -producing plants; and , 
ix. Quantum Information Technologies, which leverage quantum mechanics for the 
storage, transmission, manipulation, and computing . 
3  PROPOSAL  
3.1.  With th e view to furthering the work of the Committee in the area of international standards, 
the United States proposes that the WTO TBT Committee holds thematic sessions to explore  
international standards for CETs.  This is in line with the outcome of the Second  Triennial Review 
that, in order for international standards to make a maximum contribution to the achievement of 
the trade facilitating objectives of the Agreement, it was important that all Members had the 
opportunity to participate in the elaboration an d adoption of international standards.2 
3.2.  Members should collaborate on identifying speakers that represent a broad and inclusive group 
of experts, including standards developers, International Organizations, WTO Members and 
delegates, private companies and  industry associations.  
 
2 "Decisions and Recommendations Adopted by the WTO Committee on Technical Barriers to Trade 
Since 1 January 1995 ", (G/TBT/1/Rev.15 ), page 20.  G/TBT/W/788  
 
- 3 - 
 
  3.3.  The United States proposes that Members organize thematic discussions on CET standards by 
sector, and prioritize those sectors with the most activity in terms of volume of notifications, STCs, 
and previously held thematic discussion s at Committee. Members should focus discussion around 
sharing existing standards and best practices for standards development, emphasizing specific uses 
of new technology or considering the use of standards in regulations and CAPs. Members could also 
discuss available tools to make standards accessible, and how Members can support standards 
activities through online tools. Those topics are:  
a. Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning. Activity on this topic includes a recent 
thematic discussion on intangi ble digital products ( G/TBT/GEN/ 356)3 and cybersecurity of 
software -enabled and/or network connected goods ( G/TBT/W/747 ). There is also one 
notification on this topic ( G/TBT/N/EU/856 ). 
b. GPS, positioning, navigation and timing services. Topics may include how GPS coordinates 
underpin conformity assessment for traceability and sustainability, and how GPS enables  
new and emerging technologies. Dozens of Members have submitted over 100 notifications 
on this topic.  
c. Agricultural Biotechnologies and Biofuel standards. Members have notified 
135 notifications, including search terms for "biotech " and "GE". This sector h as significant 
impact on environmental sustainability, about which Members have held thematic 
discussions (G/TBT/W/745/Corr.1 ), and on food security, which remains a high priority 
that cross -cuts WTO committees.  
d. Semiconductors and Microelectr onics, which are a critical component for electronic devices 
and technological advancements. 15 Members submitted 63 notifications on 
Semiconductors.  
4  WHY IS THE 10TH TRIENNIAL REVIEW THE RIGHT OPPORTUNITY FOR THIS PROPOSAL?  
4.1.  WTO Members have already underta ken discussions on standards development for 
technologies that may include CETs , and have identified a clear need for in depth discussions on 
products and tools in this sector . A focused thematic session on CETs would build on this foundational 
work and pr ovide further clarity to what Members have already initiated.  
4.2.  Now is the opportunity for WTO Members to understand the issues with standards in emerging 
technology and explore and define new processes and methods to coordinate knowledge and 
innovation potential . Early intervention can help establish  an important foundation for CETs , which 
are sure to drive societal changes and economic vitality . 
__________  
 
3 Moderator 's Report, "Thematic Session on Regulatory Cooperation between Members on Intangible 
Digital Products " (G/TBT/GEN/356 ).